Category talk:26 Qualities of a Devotee

While covered over by the modes of material nature, one is forced to act in accordance with one's previous karma. One's free will, a benediction from our Father, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is severely reduced while we struggle in our conditioned state. The situation of the pure devotee provides a dramatic contrast. This living entity, by dint of the correct use of free will, is completely free to act perfectly in accordance with God in a sublime, dynamic and harmonious way. He lives in ever-increasing bliss as an instrument of God. He naturally manifests all of the 26 qualities of the devotee in full, and he utilizes them in the service of the Godhead. Fortunately, pure devotees regularly travel the world and preach, thus giving the conditioned souls the chance to reform their character and return home, back to Godhead. We learn from Srila Prabhupada, that our practice of Krishna consciousness is a gradual process, and that we can check our progress by observing within ourselves how much we are detached from matter and how many of these 26 devotional qualities we are manifesting. When all of our material dirt is cleansed, all 26 qualities will naturally shine forth.

Srila Prabhupada's books, lectures, conversations and letters offer a comprehensive presentation of this essential subject as seen in the Vaniquotes 26 Qualities of a Devotee category. An introduction from his books is given below in the following NUMBER quotes.

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Quotes from Srila Prabhupada's books

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Only persons who have developed the desirable qualities can enter into the kingdom of God. In the Caitanya-caritamrta, the devotee's desirable qualities are described to be twenty-six in number. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.15.25)

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These qualities of a devotee, twenty-six in number, are listed as follows: (1) kind to everyone, (2) does not quarrel with anyone, (3) fixed in the Absolute Truth, (4) equal to everyone, (5) faultless, (6) charitable, (7) mild, (8) clean, (9) simple, (10) benevolent, (11) peaceful, (12) completely attached to Kṛṣṇa, (13) has no material hankering, (14) meek, (15) steady, (16) self-controlled, (17) does not eat more than required, (18) sane, (19) respectful, (20) humble, (21) grave, (22) compassionate, (23) friendly, (24) poetic, (25) expert, (26) silent. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.20.16)

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My dear Arjuna, he who engages in My pure devotional service, free from the contaminations of fruitive activities and mental speculation, he who works for Me, who makes Me the supreme goal of his life, and who is friendly to every living being—he certainly comes to Me. (Bhagavad-gītā 11.55)

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A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness who is fully devoted to the transcendental loving service of the Lord develops all the godly qualities of the demigods. There are many divine qualities, but Lord Caitanya describes only some of them to Sanātana Gosvāmī. A devotee of the Lord is always kind to everyone, and he does not pick quarrels. His interest is in the essence of life, which is spiritual. He is equal to everyone, and no one can find fault in him. His magnanimous mind is always fresh and clean and devoid of material obsessions. (Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 12)

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One of the qualification is poetic. Poetic means not write poetry. Poetic means literary man. They must give literature. Naturally they'll give. That is the nature of devotee. Because without literature, how can we enlighten the people at large? My Guru Mahārāja used to say that this press is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga. Bṛhat means bigger, at large, bigger mṛdaṅga, bigger. Just like we are playing mṛdaṅga. This mṛdaṅga can be vibrated in the neighboring quarter, but our mṛdaṅga, Back to Godhead, that will go far, far away. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.12-13)

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A Vaiṣṇava like Prahlāda Mahārāja is described herein as nirvaira, having no enemies. Elsewhere in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.25.21) it is said, ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ: a devotee has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime. A devotee does not create enmity with anyone, but if someone becomes his enemy, that person will be vanquished by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, despite whatever benedictions he may have received from other sources. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.4.28)

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He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions. (Bhagavad-gītā 4.22)

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It is said in the Bhāgavatam that liberation can be offered by the Supreme Person, but even if a pure devotee is offered liberation by the Supreme Lord, he refuses to accept it. Dhruva Mahārāja did not ask Kuvera for transference to the spiritual world, which is called liberation; he simply asked that wherever he would remain—whether in the spiritual or material world—he would always remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A Vaiṣṇava is always respectful to everyone. So when Kuvera offered him a benediction, he did not refuse it. But he wanted something which would be favorable to his advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.12.9)

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